Chapter 147 Chapter 147 The so-called three queens in one family should be...
Fang Ying came to pay New Year's greetings, so of course she would not mention the death of Duke Anding. Moreover, her main purpose today was to ask Feng what she thought and whether she was willing to go to Ji Mansion to teach the young ladies.
This time, Wang did not avoid it, but kept looking at her sister-in-law with encouragement.
Feng and her sister-in-law exchanged a glance, then looked at Fang Ying and said, "You know me. I say what I think."
Fang Ying's heart immediately tightened when she heard this, thinking Feng was about to reject her, but she still said, "Go ahead."
"I just heard you say earlier that your family has many brothers. I wonder how many brothers you have? And how many of your young ladies are of school age?"
Fang Ying was delighted and asked how many students she had. It seemed that he wanted to teach her, so she immediately told him the truth. In the end, she even told him which branch of the family her nieces were from.
Feng nodded. "If it's just teaching a few young ladies to read and study, I could do it. But I grew up under the protection of my brother and his wife, so I have no idea about the ways of the world. I don't get along well with my husband's family, and I'm afraid when I see your mother-in-law and sisters-in-law, I'll be..."
"Don't worry, aunt. Aside from the first time you come into the mansion, you might see the mistress and the sisters-in-law, but you probably won't see them again. Even if you do, I'm here. No matter what happens, I'll be with you."
Fang Ying first gave a guarantee, and then said that her mother-in-law and sisters-in-law were all tolerant and easy to get along with. Only the third sister-in-law was picky, but with her around, she would never let Feng suffer any grievances.
Wang said, "Just by looking at your behavior, I know your family is different from ordinary military families. You value family education. It's just that we rarely interact with nobles, so your Aunt Feng is a little nervous."
Feng whispered, "After all, she was a princess."
Wang said, "Yes, but just looking at the fact that Madam chose Yingniang as her daughter-in-law, it's clear that she doesn't care about family background and has good judgment of people."
Fang Ying was stunned for a moment before she remembered that she had never told these two elders how she married into the Ji family - this matter was almost known to everyone in Bianjing, so she never had to mention it. As long as others heard that she was Ji Liulang's wife, they would show a look of understanding.
"Madam is indeed a discerning judge of people, but regarding our marriage... have you two elders heard of the expedition to Jiaozhi in the first year of Longxing and the defeat at Baijiang?"
Feng shook her head, but Wang thought for a moment and said, "I vaguely heard my husband mention it, but it was a disastrous defeat?"
Fang Ying nodded. "Yes. My husband, Liu Lang, also went with the army back then..." She briefly recounted what happened, and finally said, "He didn't return home until the great victory at Baijiang in the fourth year of Longxing."
Wang and Feng's faces were filled with pity. One said, "You've had a really hard time these past few years." The other frowned and asked, "Why is it this sorcerer again?"
Fang Ying looked at the two elders and asked, "Have you two aunts met Master Lu?"
The two shook their heads, and Feng said bluntly, "We don't have anything to deceive him about."
"Arong." Wang shook her head at her sister-in-law.
Fang Ying guessed that Wang Shi thought that she and the Ji family were great believers in Master Lu, so she didn't let her aunt say more. She smiled and said, "There was nothing we could do at the time. Liu Lang and I don't really believe in this, but this marriage was ultimately facilitated by Master Lu."
Wang, who had children of her own, could empathize with Li's feelings. "Yes, at that time, as long as the child can be returned safely, one would do anything. What's rare is that you two are so loving now. Your wife must be very pleased."
Feng Rong snorted coldly: "That sorcerer has done some good deeds."
Fang Ying asked with a smile, "Aunt dislikes Master Lu so much, is it because of the prophecy about the three queens in that family?"
Before Feng Rong could answer, Wang sighed.
Fang Ying looked over, but Wang Shi didn't seem to want to speak. Feng Rong scoffed, "What prophecy? It's just an excuse for those who are crazy about becoming emperor."
"What do you mean?" Fang Ying became curious. "Didn't Master Lu predict this when Empress Zhaomu was still unmarried?"
"When Empress Zhaomu married the current emperor, Emperor Liezu of Jin had not yet become emperor. If there was this prophecy at that time, and Emperor Liezu of Jin had no intention of adopting a son, why didn't he ask for a marriage for his own son?" Feng Rong asked in return.
Fang Ying said, "I heard that Liezu's sons are all relatively young..." She sensed something was wrong and shook her head, "Perhaps Liezu didn't know about this prophecy?"
Feng Rong followed up on this by asking, "What about Empress Zhou, the Emperor Liezu? Does she not know either, or is she hiding this from the Emperor Liezu along with the Zhou family?"
“…”
It seems unreasonable. After all, the first queen of the family with three queens was the Queen of Jin Liezu. She should not be unaware of this. There are even rumors that she values the emperor more than Liezu's biological sons, so she betrothed her niece who was destined to be the queen to him.
This undoubtedly made the official's act of usurping the throne seem somewhat justified.
But even with such a major event, leaving aside the question of whether it could be concealed from Emperor Liezu, Empress Zhou had clearly already raised a concubine's son. Why would she go so far afield to support her adopted son and niece's husband? Was she hoping that the adopted son would not change his surname back to Gao, and continue to inherit the Jin ancestral temple?
Fang Ying shook her head and sighed. Seeing this, Wang Shi said, "After I married into the Feng family, I often visited the Zhou residence. My eldest aunt was very kind to me, but I never heard of any prophecy. Even my late husband didn't hear about the so-called 'three queens from one family' until after Emperor Yin ascended the throne."
At that time, the Feng family, including Zhou Congshan's biological mother, were very uneasy about this so-called prophecy, because Empress Zhaomu had no sisters, and the third empress obviously included Zhou Congshan.
"Did the Zhou family ever tell us why our Feng family cut off ties with their family?" Feng Rong asked.
Fang Ying hesitated, and Feng Rong continued, "But my brother is dissatisfied with their ingratitude and their attempt to usurp the throne?"
“…” Although this was the truth, Aunt Feng was too outspoken. Fang Ying was frightened but nodded anyway.
Feng Rong couldn't help but smile at his sister-in-law: "Sure enough, this sin is not considered a sin in their hearts."
Fang Ying had already had some suspicions, so she asked, "Is there something else going on?"
"Have you, Yingniang, met the current lady of the Zhou Mansion?" Wang suddenly asked.
"Yes."
"How does she get along with the Crown Princess?" Wang asked again.
"The Crown Princess has always been by the Dowager's side. After the Dowager passed away, the Crown Princess stayed at Xiangguo Temple to observe mourning. I saw that Madam Zhou treated the Crown Princess like a distinguished guest."
Feng Rong said coldly, "Of course she's a distinguished guest. Both families have already decided on a place for Congshan. Is there a more distinguished guest than the Queen?"
Fang Ying vaguely understood - the wife that Uncle Zhou remarried was named Zhong. Mrs. Zhong's elder sister was originally a favorite concubine in the palace of Emperor Yin of Jin. This marriage was promoted by Empress Zhaomu, and the marriage was completed just one year after Mrs. Feng's death.
In this case, what Feicui said when she went to see her that day was actually true: the Feng family had no contact with the Zhou family since the lady passed away.
Fang Ying told Ji Yanlang about this when she got home.
"Yes, my brother-in-law remarried. As a relative, it is indeed a bit... But that's the way things are. Most men remarry within a year after their wife dies. Feng Tao won't hate Uncle Zhou for this, right?"
Fang Ying said, "Aunt Feng said that less than a hundred days after Madam Feng passed away, Empress Zhaomu arranged a marriage with the Zhong family."
At that time, Emperor Yin had already begun to reduce the military power of the current emperor. After the Zhou and Zhong families agreed to the marriage, Concubine Zhong said a lot of good things about the current emperor, and said that the Zhou family was loyal to the Jin Dynasty, and the story of three queens in one family was nonsense.
"Feng Tao soon learned of this from Concubine Yang and went to confront Uncle Zhou. After returning home, he declared that he would no longer have any connection with the Zhou family."
Ji Yanlang frowned as he listened, and finally sighed, "If that's the case, it's true that the Zhou family has let the Feng family down."
The so-called prophecy of three queens from one family was probably made by the emperor and the Zhou family through the mouth of a sorcerer to create momentum in order to replace the Jin Dynasty.
"But we can't blame the emperor and the Zhou family for making such plans. Even if there is no prophecy, the Emperor Yin will not let the emperor go. Just like our family, even though we have no ulterior motives, we are still suspected by our uncle."
Fang Ying agreed: "Just like Uncle Zhou is now inevitably suspected."
Ji Yanlang choked, then laughed: "That's right." He laughed and shook his head, but in the end he couldn't help but defend the emperor, "At least the emperor didn't massacre his meritorious officials."
Although most of the founding heroes who followed the government in their early years have now been stripped of their power, they all enjoy wealth and prosperity, and their children can also enter the government through favoritism and marry into the royal family.
Fang Ying did not say much, but became more convinced that the emperor's vision was limited and could not be compared with the wise and holy rulers of ancient times.
"Will Madam Feng come to teach the children?" Ji Yanlang asked as he remembered.
"Come on, it's settled. I'll write to Mother tomorrow."
Ji Yanlang breathed a sigh of relief: "That's good."
Fang Ying asked with a smile, "Why? Are you afraid that Aunt Feng will vent her anger on us?"
Ji Yanlang smiled but didn't answer. Fang Ying continued, "Aunt Feng is a reasonable person. Our family is from Shuzhong and has nothing to do with what they did. Why would she be angry with us? Besides, I was entrusted by the Crown Princess. In the eyes of the two aunts, the Crown Princess is the one who was harmed by the prophecy and is truly innocent."
"Tell me, does the Crown Princess know about this?"
Fang Ying shook her head: "She was too young at the time, how could the Zhou family let her know?"
Not to mention this false prophecy, even when Zhou Congshan mentioned the fact that Uncle Zhou would remarry soon, he only blamed his father for being ruthless and ungrateful, and never said a word against Empress Zhaomu.
In Zhou Congshan's narration, Empress Zhaomu was a virtuous wife and mother who only cared about her husband and son and did not care about herself. He treated her with great kindness, just like many women in this world.
But the Empress Zhaomu that Fang Ying heard from Feng Rong and Wang today was completely different. She could take the initiative to plan for her husband and help him block hidden arrows. She could also be the boss of her own family and even use her brother's marriage to help her husband.
As Madam Feng's younger sister, Feng Rong naturally hated the person who couldn't wait to let her brother-in-law remarry before her sister's body was cold. She thought she was possessed by the devil and wanted to become the queen. Fang Ying, as an outsider, admired Queen Zhaomu's courage and determination.
She dared to make friends with Emperor Yin's favorite concubine and even arranged for her family to marry into her family, in order to buy a breathing space for her husband and eventually conquer the world.
However, he neglected his own health and worked too hard, which led to his early death. His only son was also frail and sickly, and was eventually killed by someone else. In the end, the throne was taken away by someone else.
However, both Consort Zhang and Consort Xu Hui were given to the emperor by Emperor Yin's maternal grandparents. Could Empress Zhaomu really be completely defenseless against them, as Zhou Congshan claimed? Or was she deliberately trying to lull her opponent into complacency?
Fang Ying came to her senses and realized that she had been thinking too far, so she quickly withdrew her thoughts - it was useless to dwell on the past, and if there was anything that could touch her, it was undoubtedly to take care of herself.
The weather was getting warmer, so she took advantage of the bright sunshine at noon every day to take Hong'er to play in the garden for a while. When Ji Yanlang had a day off, they went to visit Ci Di together.
In the blink of an eye, it was February, and Bian Jing replied, saying that since a female teacher had been invited, the three sisters Huaiyun would come to Luoyang with their grandmother, and would set off in mid-March. The letter also asked their two families to move into the new house first depending on the situation.
Fang Ying and Ji Yanlang had no time to care about the housewarming at the moment, because Fang Ying's period was half a month late, and she started to feel lazy, and it seemed that she was pregnant again.
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